1990s cabinets with heavy face frames
Cabinets from the 1990s often have wide face frames and small door openings. Full-overlay doors cover more of the frame and make the cabinets look current.
Serving West Chicago & nearby Winfield, Carol Stream
Cabinet Refacing in West Chicago, IL
New doors, drawer fronts and matching skins on the cabinet boxes you already have in West Chicago, with your counters left in place.
- Crews working in West Chicago ZIP 60185
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Cabinet problems refacing solves in West Chicago
Refacing keeps the cabinet boxes, countertops and plumbing in your West Chicago kitchen and replaces everything you see: new doors and drawer fronts, veneer or laminate skins on the face frames and end panels, and new hinges and pulls. The result looks like a new set of cabinets without a tear-out.
Good boxes, worn-out finish
Many kitchens have well-built boxes and tired doors. Refacing puts money into the visible parts and leaves the solid structure alone.
Need a few extra cabinets
We can add a matching pantry, a cabinet in an empty corner or a small island and reface everything so it looks like one set.
Drawers that stick or slam
While the fronts are being replaced, we can fit new full-extension, soft-close slides and new dovetail drawer boxes.
Can't be without a kitchen for long
Refacing happens with the kitchen mostly usable. The doors are made ahead of time, and the on-site work usually takes a few days.
Oak frames that don't suit a new look
If you want white or gray cabinets but the frames are golden oak, refacing skins them to match the new doors exactly.
Scratched or damaged end panels
Cabinet sides by the fridge or the dining area take kicks, chair bumps and pet scratches. New veneer or plywood skins cover them completely.
Old exposed hinges and loose doors
Surface-mounted hinges from earlier decades look dated and loosen over time. New doors get concealed, adjustable hinges, often with soft-close.
What's included
- Removing doors, fronts and hingesWe take off and haul away the old doors, fronts and hardware.
- Veneer on face framesFace frames are covered with wood veneer or laminate that matches the new doors, trimmed tight at every edge.
- End panels and exposed sidesVisible cabinet sides get new plywood or laminate panels in the same finish as the doors.
- New doors and drawer frontsDoors and fronts are made to measure for each opening and arrive finished.
- Concealed hingesNew doors hang on hidden, adjustable hinges, usually with soft-close.
- Trim, crown and toe kickWe finish the top and bottom of the cabinets with new trim in the same material.
- Drawer boxes and slidesOptional new dovetail drawer boxes and full-extension soft-close slides.
Materials and finishes
Two-tone and wood-plus-paintWe can reface the island in one finish and the wall cabinets in another.
Rigid thermofoil (RTF)A vinyl surface pressed over MDF, easy to clean and good for solid white and painted-look colors.
Painted MDF and solid wood doorsPaint-grade MDF center panels stay flat, and solid hardwood frames hold hinges well.
High-pressure laminateLaminate resists scratches and moisture well and works for a flat, modern look.
Real wood veneerWood veneer gives frames and ends the same grain and color as stained wood doors.
Kitchens like yours in West Chicago: before and after
Before
In progress
After
DetailBefore and after: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in West Chicago
This one is a two-story colonial from the 1990s in West Chicago. Before: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim. The reason for the call: vinyl film lifting near the oven. Finished kitchen: new five-piece shaker doors in sage green on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls. The job covered removing doors, fronts and hinges, end panels and exposed sides, plus trim, crown and toe kick.
Before
AfterWest Chicago kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: cabinet door & drawer front replacement
New five-piece shaker doors and drawer fronts in muted blue-gray with satin brass pulls.
Cabinet Door & Drawer Front Replacement in West Chicago →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in West Chicago
What changed: new cabinets in warm taupe with satin brass pulls, installed level and ready for dark soapstone-look quartz counters.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in West Chicago →
Before
AfterA West Chicago two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
What changed: built-to-fit cabinetry to the ceiling in pale sage with brushed nickel bar pulls and warm walnut butcher block counters.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets in West Chicago →
Before
AfterKitchen Remodeling in a two-story colonial from the 1990s, West Chicago
Finished: cabinets in soft white with brushed nickel bar pulls, black honed granite counters, a white 2x8 tile in a vertical stack backsplash, gray wood-look porcelain plank flooring and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Remodeling in West Chicago →How your cabinet refacing goes
- Visit and box checkAt the visit we confirm the boxes are worth keeping and take exact measurements.
- Choose style and finishDoor samples and finish chips help you decide in your own lighting.
- Doors are madeProduction happens off-site; nothing changes in your kitchen until the parts are ready.
- Install on siteOld doors come off, frames and ends are skinned, new doors and hardware go on, usually over a few days.
- Adjust and walk-throughEvery door and drawer is aligned and we go over the finished kitchen with you.
Cabinet Refacing questions from West Chicago homeowners
What affects the cost of refacing?
Door count, materials, trim and upgrades drive the price. After measuring we send a written estimate with each line item.
Refacing or painting: which should I choose?
Painting keeps the doors; refacing replaces them. Both leave the boxes and counters in place.
Is it worth it to reface kitchen cabinets?
Yes, when the boxes are solid and the layout works. You get new doors, frames and hardware without tearing out cabinets, counters or plumbing.
Is it cheaper to reface or replace cabinets?
In most kitchens refacing is the less expensive route. Replacement makes sense when the boxes are damaged or the layout has to change.
Can you reface laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Often, yes. The boxes are what matter; we check that the surface is sound and prepare it so the new skin bonds.
West Chicago contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
All contractors and subcontractors working in West Chicago must be registered with the City (insurance, licensing and bonding are checked). We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for cabinet refacing in West Chicago?
It depends on the scope. West Chicago's rule in short: West Chicago requires a building permit for certain home improvement and remodeling projects; the city publishes an Additions & Remodeling permit guide with a submittal checklist. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department.
Do you work in my part of West Chicago?
Yes. Our crews work across West Chicago — ZIP 60185 — and nearby Winfield, Carol Stream, St. Charles.
Working in West Chicago
- A lot of West Chicago kitchens date from the 1990s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most West Chicago homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community Development Department handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60185
Cabinet Refacing nearby
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Other kitchen services in West Chicago
Cabinet Door & Drawer Front ReplacementReplacement doors and drawer fronts in any style.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & ReplacementNew cabinets installed, leveled and ready for counters.
Custom Kitchen CabinetsBuilt-to-fit cabinetry up to the ceiling.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.